North Korean novels titled "The Three Vassals of Goguryeo" "Four Pieces of Ice," "National Statue of Eulpaso" and "A Woman’s Note" (direct translations) (Courtesy of the South and North Korean Economic Federation Unification Farming Cooperative)

The Seoul Central District Court handed down a verdict of guilty to the chair of a civic organization who had been accused of bringing in and selling North Korean novels, officials said Sunday.

The court found Jung Ik-hyeon, 60, chair of the South and North Korean Economic Federation Unification Farming Cooperative, of breaching the Inter-Korean Exchange and Cooperation Act, sentencing him to pay a fine of 3 million won ($2,250).

Jung was accused of bringing North Korean novels and USB flash drives containing North Korean novels into the country without the approval of the Unification Ministry three times between 2018 and 2020.

Under the Inter-Korean Exchange and Cooperation Act, any person who intends to take out or bring in goods between South and North Korea for "sale, exchange, lease, loan for use, donation, use, etc." needs approval from the Ministry of Unification concerning the items, forms of trading and methods of payment.

Jung was found to have signed a contract with the North Korean Copyright Secretariat through a Chinese broker, and brought a total of 22 North Korean novels, including "The Three Vassals of Goguryeo," (direct translation) into the country without permission.

However, the organization had held a press conference to explain its position and defend its publication of the North Korean books back on March 4, 2020.

“We have submitted applications over the past three years to the Ministry of Unification to bring in the books on the premise of publishing them, but (since they never replied) we have decided that the ministry has no will (to respond) at all," the organization had said at the press conference.

"So now we plan to proceed with the publication of 13 North Korean novels here. We sincerely hope this will help promote reconciliation and exchange between Koreans in the South and North," they added.

It published "Dongeuibogam," a revered classic of Korean traditional medicine, in its North Korean-origin version in 2020. The book was priced at 25,000 won per copy in South Korea.

Jung pleaded not guilty in the trial, saying, “The books I received from a Chinese businessperson are Chinese goods, not North Korean goods, and they do not violate good customs and morals or the National Security Act, so they are not subject to approval for import.”

On the other hand, the court said when delivering its verdict, “It is acknowledged that Jung was aware approval was required from the unification minister. Also, China appears to be merely a transit point in the process of smuggling.”